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Thursday, 6 February 2014

The Sochi Olympics: I will not be part of this

The Winter Olympics in Sochi are, of course, still going
ahead. While the campaigning and fighting has drawn a lot of attention, it was
never going to stop or change the games because the cishet world has always had
many many many more priorities than our lives.

Needless to say, I won’t be watching the games, or having
much to do with any coverage focusing on people playing sports rather than the
gay bodies they’re stepping over to keep playing – nor do I want anything to do
with the huge number of commenters who say they totally oppose homophobia while
going to the games unless they are actually going to do something substantial to
challenge the homophobia they’re tacitly endorsing.

Because that is what you are doing. Did any of us think
that we could pull of a boycott of Sochi? No. Did any of us think we could
force Russia to change their laws? No we do not have and never have had that
kind of power or that many allies – we’re more than aware of that. Did we hope
we would gain some kind of temporary hold or blanket immunity of GBLT
travellers during the Olympics? That was never the goal – and frankly it’s
nauseating to sign off on Russia temporarily suspending evil persecution while
the cameras are pointed their way then go back to blood business as usual when
we’re looking away.

The point is that there are some things you don’t want to
affiliate with. There are things that are more important than sport, that the
lives of GBLT people are worth something. By staying in Sochi, the
International Olympic Commission has denied that; by boycotting the Olympics I
am rejecting the IOC’s denial of GBLT humanity. We exist and Russia’s creeping
attempts to criminalise our existence, to make GBLT people invisible and to
tacitly support brutal persecution is not tolerable

Of course, much news has been made of various people “snubbing”
the games… except they – including Cameron and Obama – have been quick to
assure us that it totally has nothing to do with the persecution of GBLT
people. So that renders any “snub” pretty pathetically meaningless – but gee
thanks cishet leaders for your dedicated concern!